Engineering Intern Feature at CO2 Monitoring: Giovanni DiLisio

At CO2 Monitoring, we’re proud to highlight the talented students and young professionals who contribute their skills and creativity to our work. One of those individuals is Giovanni (Gio) DiLisio, a former intern and current Electrical Engineering student at UNLV.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Gio attended Desert Oasis High School, where he was part of the Furniture and Cabinet Making program for four years. That experience deepened his love for building, fixing, and designing. While he once considered trade school or pursuing a skilled apprenticeship, Gio ultimately chose to continue his education at UNLV, where he is now studying electrical engineering — a decision he says he is both grateful for and proud of. He continues to strive for a well-rounded education across different disciplines and practices, reflecting his curiosity and drive to keep learning.

We recently connected with Gio to learn more about his path, his inspirations, and where he hopes to go next in his career.

What first sparked your interest in engineering?

Growing up I was surrounded by family members who were very independent, often frugal, and technically skilled. I quickly learned to be mindful of how to fix things myself and understand how they work. I got a lot of joy from taking apart my toys, which I usually ended up breaking and then fixing again.

The moment I started to fall in love with electrical engineering in particular was in my middle school years, when my dad and I would fix our pinball machine. We started doing it together, but eventually I took on the more complicated repairs and soon my dad could not keep up with me anymore. That got the ball rolling. I became interested in electronics and started fixing old radios and arcade games. I loved how they worked and wanted to eventually design my own projects someday.

Can you tell us about your journey into the field? Your experience in school, UNLV, IEEE, your past internships?

I was involved in the Aerosphere One C Code project, where we were writing the firmware code in the C programming language. The native language was assembly, and it had become hard to understand and navigate for product changes and development. For future use, everything is being converted. I built a great foundation for this type of project from basic coding classes and an embedded systems class, where we used the same processors that are in Aerosphere products.

I was also part of a project called the Plus One, which is a companion unit that goes with the Aerosphere One. I was in charge of doing the computer designs and I developed the PCBs and schematic. I am grateful to have seen several iterations come together.

Gio (Middle) at the UNLV CO2 Monitoring tour at our Cameron office in November 2024.

Which Aerosphere® projects were you involved in, and how have you been able to apply skills from your electrical engineering program and previous internships to your work here?

I was involved in the Aerosphere One C Code project. Which we were writing the firmware code in the coding language of C. The native language was assembly and it had become hard to understand and navigate for product changes and developments so for future use everything is being converted. I got a great foundation for this type of project from basic coding classes and a embedded system class where we use the same processors that are used in aerosphere products. Personally I was also apart of a project called the Plus One which is a companion unit that goes with the Aerosphere One. But I was in charge of doing the computer designs and I developed the PCB's / schematic and I am grateful to have seen several iterations come together.

What’s something people might not realize about working in engineering, particularly in your specialty? This could be about your role in CO2 safety and monitoring.

I think that in certain fields such as embedded systems and designing consumer products, not just in CO2 safety, there is a curtain behind the inner workings of a place like this. People buy things and never think about the great efforts to design, build, fabricate, and test a product. It feels like an unseen world to me, and I think that is very interesting.

Gio sharing his internship experience with CO2 Monitoring during our UNLV ASME presentation at the Advanced Engineering Building in February 2025.

Have there been any moments, challenges, breakthroughs, or reflections, that stand out to you in your journey as an engineer? What advice would you give to young engineers just starting out?

I think that for me the biggest revelation as an engineer is that you do have an impact. With my most recent project contributions, everything directly or indirectly affects people in many ways, especially in the safety sector of engineering.

So my advice not just for young engineers, but for anyone, is to care with the utmost importance and do your best work. You never know who may be affected by your efforts.

Are there any mentors or figures that have inspired or supported you along the way?

My biggest mentor was my high school woodshop teacher, Mr. Wenzel. He strengthened my love for learning and desire to experience the unknown. It is very inspiring to be a master of something and still keep learning.

Looking ahead, what are your goals or dreams for the future, personally or professionally?

My goal is to get my master’s degree in Electrical Engineering within the next few years and eventually earn my PE license. I do not necessarily have a dream job, since sometimes the best opportunities fall into place.

And just for fun- what’s something outside of work that brings you joy or keeps you grounded?

I really enjoy music and going to metal concerts. I am far from a musician, but I can really appreciate it.

Related Article

We have featured Gio before as part of a spotlight on our UNLV interns. That article covered the November 2024 IEEE facility tour, President Ronald Longley’s “Engineering Excellence” keynote, and the onboarding of three interns: Katie Whalon, Giovanni “Gio” DiLisio, and Shana Mastoon. Together, they shared how they applied classroom knowledge to real-world CO₂ monitoring projects and reflected on the importance of engineering in safety and compliance.

👉 Read the full UNLV Interns Spotlight here

CO2 Monitoring and Aerosphere® thank Gio for sharing his story with us. The company is proud to continue building strong connections with higher education and supporting the next generation of engineers.